Venetian blind, including vertical tapes and means for twisting the upper and lower ends of tapes independently



P 1952 E. E. RANDALL VENETIAN BLIND, INCLUDING VERTICAL TAFES AND MEANSFOR TWISTING THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS 0F TAPES INDEPENDENTLY 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30', 1950 Fig. I;

Fig. 1/.

R. W NE W 3 m R E n, .m w m E w 5 m M F p T Sept. 23, 1952 RANDALL2,611,426

VENETIAN BLIND, INCLUDING VERTICAL TAPES AND MEANS FOR TWISTING THEUPPER AND LOWER ENDS 0F TAPES INDEPENDENTLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.30, 1950 Elm?) E. Randall INVENTOR. Q0132.

Sept. 23, 1952 E. E. RANDALL VENETIAN BLIND, INCLUDING VERTICAL TAPESAND MEANS FOR .TWISTING THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF TAPES INDEPENDENTLYFiled Jan. 30, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Elwin E. Randall IN VEN TOR.

Q BY Patented Sept. 23, 1952 VENETIAN BLIND, INCLUDING VERTICAL TAPESAND MEANS FOR TWISTING THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF TAPES IN- DEPENDENTLYElwin E. Randall, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Servall' Products,Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich.,

a corporation of Michigan Application January 30, 1950, Serial No.141,198

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvementsin Venetian blindsand more particularly a blind havingvertically disposed slats or tapes.

The primary feature of the present invention is to provide a Venetianblind including a group of vertically ,disposed tapes together withindependently operated means for twisting the upper ends of the tapesand the lower ends of the tapes so that light. may pass between'theupper ends of adjacent tapes, the lower ends of adjacent tapes, thecentral portions of adjacent tapes, adjacent tapes throughout the lengthof adjacent'tapes or so *that light willlbeirestricted from passingbetween adjacent tapes.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a blind"composed of vertical tapes which may be twisted and turned to variouspositions to thereby increase to a maximum the alternative arrangementof the tapes and to regulate the light admitting opening betweenadjacent tapes.

Another object of the present invention is the provision: of a blind ofthe type having vertical tapes or closure strips embodying a novel andimproved anchoring means for quickly and readily attaching the blind toor for removing the blind from a supporting structure,-such as a windowframe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blind includingupper and lower supporting members for enclosingtape holders therein andwhich members are so constructed as to facilitate a reduction in lengththereof in a convenient manner to reduce to a minimum theexpense ofproducing a blind adaptable for windows of various widths.

Another featureof the present invention is to provide a blind whereinthe tapes are individually removable for replacement, inspection orrepair.

Another feature of the present inventionis to provide a Venetian typeblind wherein the parts are quickly and readily-assembled ordisassembled in a convenient manner for storage or shipment thereof.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a Venetianblind including a novel and improved tapeoperating mechanism that ismanually actuated-toeffect a twisting or turning and compact instructure, extremely. neat and attractive in appearance, efiicientzanddurable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise Welladapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the blind construction andshowing the slats spaced-parallel and in their completely open position;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the blind construction andshowing the slats in overlapped relationship and in their completelyclosedv position; l V

Figure'3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the lower ends of theslats twisted to provide light admitting openings at the lower end ofthe blind construction; a v I M Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2but showing the upper ends of the slats twistedto provide lightadmitting-openings at the upper end of the blind construction; Figure 5is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing both the central portions ofthe slats twisted to provide light admitting openings at thecentralportion of the'blind'construction; 1 Figurefi is an enlarged'fragmentaryplan view taken substantially on the plane ofsection line fi 6 of Figure'1; g 1 Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the tapeholders rotated;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially-on the plane of section line 8-8 of Figure l Figure -9, isatransverse vertical sectional view taken. substantiallyon the plane ofsection line I 9+9 ofFigure 6; I

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially'onthe'plane ofgsection line |0-l0ofFigure6; a

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the operating arms used in thepresent invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is "disclosed a preferred embodiment ofthe presentrinvention, the numeral It represents an upper supporting and operatingmechanism generally, including an elongated channel-shaped supportingmember having spaced parallel forward and rear side flanges or legportions l2 and Mthat are joined'by a web portion l6.

: The web portion I6 is pressed .upwardly'ro'ri turned upwardly duringmanufacture"thereoftto 22 is provided in the web portion [6 including:a.

central opening 24. Each of these openings 22,

24 receives the shank portion 26 of atape holder or hook 28 and sincethe central. ofv these tape holders, that is received in the centralopening 24, has a dual function it will be referred to by the numeral30.

receiving the shank portions. otthetapeholders.

Laterally projecting abutments or wire members 36 are detachably carriedby the shank portions of the tape holders 28, 30 and washers 38 receivedon theshank portions of the tape holders 28', 30' rest. upon the arms;32;. Coil. springs 46 embrace the shank portions ofv the tape holders28; 301 and. are biased. between the. abutments 35 and. the washers 311'to yieldingly urge the arms 32 against: the web portion 3' for.retaining the tape holders in a selected. rotated position.

A common connecting and actuating bar 42' is provided for the arms 32".This bar 42 is pivoted, as at 42a, to each of the armsSZ and the bar 42is formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses 44 so thatwhen the bar. is moved laterally toward the shank portions 26 the saidshank portions can enter the recesses 44 to. permit all the pivots 42aand the tape holders 2'8, 30 to lie in a single vertical plane (seeFigure 7) Means is provided for moving the bar 42 in order tosimultaneously rotate thetape holders 2!, 30. This means includes arotary member or disk 46 having an upper flange or plate 48 whosecentral portion is depressed to form a circular hub-G that rests againsta lower flange or disk 52.

An operating cord 54 embraces the hub 50 and is held tightly against thehub 58 by a rivet 55 joining the upper and lower flanges 48 and 52.Through this construction, the cord 54 is held against slippage relativeto the rotary member 46.

A boss 58 at the center of the hub 50 is provided with a diametricalslot that receives the shank portion of the central tape holder 30 andthis holder (30) constitutes the pivot for the rotary member 45. Thespring 40 on the shank portion of the boss 58 and the abutment'36 of thecentral tape holder to yieldingly retain the member 4B- in a selectedrotated position (see Figure 8) A support platform 60 is suitablyattached to the web portion l6 (see Figure 9') 'and constitutes thesupport for the member 46 This platform 60 is provided with acentral-opening for the shank'portion of the central tape holder 30 andwith a curved slot 62a for receiving the pivot 42b joining the operatingarm of the central tape holder'to-the bar'42 and the operating arm forthe central tape holder to the member 46.

Detents 64 are provided on the platform 69 for contacting the plate 52and thereby reduce the friction between the member 46 and the platform60 during rotation of the latter.

Theoperating cord 54' extends through guides 66 and 68 mounted on theside flanges I2. and I4 respectively and coil springs 10. and 12terminally secured to the guides 66, 68 and theicord 54'm ain tain.thebar 42, normally, perpendicular to the arms 32 as shown in Figure 6.

An operating: arm or. link: 32 is associated with each of the tapeholders 2B, 3B- and these arms include longitudinal slots 34 for Itshould be noted that the pivot 42b secures the member 46 eccentricallyto the bar 42 as shown in Figures 6 and 7 and this is essential in orderto effect the proper movement of the bar 42. during. rotation ofthezmember. 4.5., Also, the plate 52 is. depressed to form a recess 52afor the head of the rivet 56 (see Figure 8) so that the rivet 56 willnot ride upon the platform 60.

The lower operating and supporting mechanism I4 is constructed toinclude the same arrangement of: parts as the upper operating andsupporting. mechanism l0, however, the lower operating and supportingmechanism is inverted to. place the same in proper relationship to theupper mechanism Ill and so that the operating cords for both the upperand lower mechanisms will. extend from the same side of the blind.

Obviously, the lower mechanism 14 could also beturned 180 in order toplace th operating cord of the lower mechanism at the opposite side of.theblindfromthe operating cordof the upper mechanism U);

A plurality of vertically-disposed tapes or slats T6 of any suitableflexible material, such as plastic, rayon, cloth or the like forms. partof the blind construction. The upper. and lower ends 18 and 89 of. thetapes (6. are. folded upon and secured to themselves to providecasingsin which there is mounted reinforcing strips 82' supportinglaterally projecting eyes. 84 that receive the holders of the upper andlower mechanisms .10 and".

The springs. 49 permit the-tape hangers to be moved toward each otherduring attachment'of the hooks 28, 30 to the eyes and: thesprings 49also urge the enlarged lower portions 28a of the holders 28', 30.against the web portions 16 of the upper and lower mechanisms l0 and 14;

The tape holders, the operating bars, the eyes 84, the operating cordsand'the springs 40; 10 and 12 of both mechanisms I 0 and M are concealedin the upper and lower channel members of the mechanisms Hi1 and 14 sothat only the channel members: and' the tapes willfbe exposed.

Means are provided forattaching the upper and lower mechanisms to asupporting structure, such as a window frame, and this means consists ofupper and lower groups 01' attaching brackets 86 having upper channels88 for receiving the strips i 4a and lower channels 90 for receiving thechannels 20 (see- Figure 10). The channels 90 include curved flanges9011 so that the strips [4a can he slipped upwardly into the channels 88and so that the channels 20 can ride against the flanges 90a to enterthe channels 90. The brackets 86 supporting the lower mechanism 14 areturned from the brackets 86 supporting'the upper mechanism I0 and allbrackets 86 receive fasteners 92"for securing the brackets to asupporting'structural element.

End plates 94 are provided-for closing the ends. of the upper and lowerchannel members.

The end plates 94" include side flanges 96 and 98 that lie against theouter faces of the walls l2. and. i 4. Theupperi and lower edges of -theflanges 9 5 and 98 are bent to form channel's I00 and T02that'receive'the strips 12a, Ho and the channels i8, 20 to permitsliding of the end plates on". the'channel members of the uppen andlower mechanisms 10 and 14;

The overall. lengthiot the mechanisms) and '14. can be quickly andreadily reducedi bycutting off the ends of. the channel members and thebars 42 for use of the blind on windows of vari- 5 cos widths. Also theend plates can be applied to or removed from the channel members afterthe proper length of the channel members has been accomplished.

In practical use of the present invention, the upper and lower members46 are independently rotated so that the slats or tapes 16 can assumethe various positions shown in Figures 1-5 inclusive.

When the tapes are moved to their closed position as shown in Figure 2,the side edges of adjacent tapes overlap to prevent the passage of lighttherebetween.

Due to the highly attractive construction of the blind, the same can beused to replace ourtains, draperies or the like. The tapes may beindividually serviced and may be of any suitable colors or contrastingcolors.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of theconstruction, operation and advantages of the device will be quiteapparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description isaccordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. For use with a vertical blind, an operating mechanism comprising asupporting member including a flat horizontal wall having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced apertures therein, a plurality of longitudinallyspaced tape holders having upper resilient looped portions journaled forrotation in the apertures, actuating arms having inner ends formed withapertures yieldingly receiving said looped portions, abutments carriedby said looped portions, washers received on said looped portionsunderlying the arms and resting upon said Wall, coil springs embracingsaid looped portions and biased between said abutments and said arms andyieldingly urging said Washers against said well to retain the holdersin a selected rotated position, a common operating bar for each of theholders and pivoted to each arm, and a disk centrally pivoted to themember for rotation and eccentrically pivoted to the bar.

2. For use with a vertical blind, an operating mechanism comprising asupporting member, a plurality of longitudinally spaced tape holdersjournaled for rotation on the supporting member, actuating arms carriedby and projecting laterally from the holders, a common operating bar foreach of the holders, said bar being pivoted to each of the arms, aplatform attached to the supporting member and having a curved slot andupstanding detents, a rotary member including upperand lower flanges,said lower flange resting on said detents for rotation, an operatingcord, fastening means securing said flanges together and the cordbetween the flanges, and a pivot received in the slot and extendingeccentrioally through the flanges and securing the rotary member to thebar, said rotary member being centrally pivoted to the supportingmember.

ELWIN E. RANDALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file orthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,965 Norton -1 Jan. 3, 19392,173,275 Houmere Sept. 19, 1939 2,520,272 Bopp et al Aug. 29, 19502,520,273 Bopp et a1 Aug. 29, 1950 2,524,372 Bopp et al Oct. 3, 1950

